Clothing buckle



April 5, 1932. D. F DALTON CLOTHING BUCKLE Filed July 17, 1929 INVENTOR Danzel fifi liow B y M 8 W ATTORNEY lid Patented Apr. 5, 1932 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE DANIEL F. DALTON, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHOE HARD- COMPANY, OF VIA'ILERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECT- ICUT Application filed. July 17,

.tlllS invention relates to clothing buckles of the type suitable for raincoats or other articles in which two edges or ends are to be detachably connected together.

The appearance of the ordinary type of buckle heretofore used on raincoats and similar apparel has not been entirely satisfactory, and, in an attempt to overcome the objection, some manufacturers have substituted snap fasteners for the buckles. But even though the appearance may be somewhat improved by snap fasteners, they have been for various reasons found unsuitable. It 1s therefore one object of this invention to pro vide a clothing buckle of improved appearance and possessing at least the advantages of the ordinary clothing buckle and snap fastener while doing away with the objections to both.

Another object is to provide abuckle of substantially flat construction, thereby enhancing its appearance, and incorporating simplicity and low cost of manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

ltefercnce is to be had to the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a buckle embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing one position of the buckle members in the operation of connecting them together;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the two members coupled together;

Fig. 1 is a plan of a modified buckle;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. at in the position of connecting the buckle members together;

Fig. 6 is a plan of a further style of buckle;

Figs. 7 and 8 are sections on the line 77 of Fig. 6 and represent the steps in coupling and uncoupling the buckle members; and

Fig. 9 is a plan illustrating the Fig. 6 buckle members coupled.

Referring to the drawings and especially to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, reference numeral 1 indicates a buckle member provided with perforations 2 for attachment as by riveting to a garment or other article. The buckle 1 has CLOTHING BUCKLE 1929. Serial No. 378538.

a slot 8 extending substantially parallel with the free edge 1. The other part of the buckle comprises a member 5 also provided with perforations designated 6 and having a hook 7 preferably struck from the body of the member 5, whereby the hook and body are formed in one piece. The hook 7 extends substantially parallel with the body portion of the member 5, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 and includes a shank 8 connecting it to the body 5. The two members are preferably formed from flat sheet metal struck out by dies, so as to simplify the construction and reduce the cost of manufacture to a minimum.

In coupling the buckle members together, the member 1 is brought to a position at an incline to the member 5 and the hook 7 engaged in the slit 3 with the tip edge 4. of the member 1 disposed as in Fig. 2. The mom her 1 is then drawn toward the shank 8 until the slot 3 is brought down over the shank 8. It will be noted that the width of the material between the slot 3 and the edge 4 of member 1 is slightly greater than the distance between the hook 7 and the body of the member 5, and preferably the arrangement is such that the edge 4 is in slight frictional contact with the face of the member 5 during coupling and uncoupling. By reason of this construction it is necessary that the two members be inclined with respect to each other in order that they may be coupled or uncoupled, and it is clear that when the members are coupled together in parallelism, they cannot be uncoupled until one is disposed at a substantial angle to the other, thus offsetting any tendency of the buckle members to become accidentally uncoupled.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the hook 8 has substantially parallel sides 9 and is also provided with a head 10 arranged to cooperate with one edge of the slot 12 to hold the two members together when they are coupled, as in Fig. 5. The slot 12 is preferably of a length suflicient only to clear the sides 9 of the hook 8 so that when the two buckle members are coupled together, there is practically no looseness vertically between the members. According to the illustration shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the two members are brought together at an angle to each other substantially as in Fig. 5 and the hook member 8 is inserted through the slot 12 and is snapped over the bead 10 while its edge 11 is in contact with the opposite buckle member. lhe two members are then brought into parallelism by moving the slot 12 down over the shank 13 of the hook 8, and may be uncoupled by a reverse of the operation'described.

In Fig. 6 a hook member designated 14 is interposed between two spring tongues 15 which extend slightly beyond the free end of the hook. The other member 16 has a slot 17 for the hook 14 and is also provided with a pair of cam portions 18 at the edge of the member 16 adjacent the slot 17, the cams being directed substantially at a right angle to the body of the member 16. In coupling these two members together one is placed at an angle to the other, as indicated in Fig. 7

withthe hook M entering the slot 17 and the cam portions 18 in position to bear against the spring tongues 15. The member 16 is then swung in the direction of the arrow to the position indicated in Fig. 8. During this operation the slot slides around the hook, and the cam portions bear against the spring tongues 15, causing the two members to snap into position under the actionof said tongues so that the two members are brought substantially into parallelism in Fig. 8 position with the perforated fastening portions on opposite sides of the hook and slot, and cannot be separated except by a reversal of this connecting operation, that is, swinging the members out of parallelism against pressure of the spring tongues.

It will be observed that in each of the embodiments illustrated, it is necessary in order to couple the two members together, that they tween the tongues, the other member having a slot adapted to be engaged by the hook and also including cam portions arranged to co operate with said tongues to releasably hold the hook engaged within the slot, said members being provided with portions adapted to be attached to the opposite edges of a garment, the attaching portions of the hook member being located on one side of the hook and slot connection while the attaching portions of the slotted member are located on the opposite side of said hook and slot connection.

2. A clothing buckle comprising two substantially fiat members, one of which is provided with a pair of resilient tongues and a hook rigid with said member interposed be tween the tongues, the other member having a slot adapted to be engaged by the hook and also including cam portions arranged to cooperate with said tongues to releasably hold the hook engaged within the slot, said members being provided with portions adapted to be attached to the opposed edges of a garment, the attaching portions of the hook member being located on one side of the hook and slot connection while the attaching portions of the slotted member are located on the opposite side of said hook and slot connectlon, sald attachlng portions being in substantially the same plane.

Signed at WVaterbury, county of .New Haven, Stateof Connecticut, this 12th day of July, 1929.

DANIEL F. DALTON.

be disposed at an angle to each other and afterwards swung to a position whereby they are brought substantially into parallelism,

and that they cannot thereafter be separated unless the operation is reversed. There is consequently very little likelihood of the buckle members becoming unbuckled accidentally. It is preferable that the slots 3, 12 and 17 be of a length only suflicient to permit passage of the hook.

The foregoing examples are representative of practical embodiments of the invention, but are not intended as limitations, as .it is obvious that various modifications and alterations may suggest them-selves to'those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: i

1. A clothing buckle comprising two substantially flat members, one of which is provided with a pair of resilient tongues and a hook rigid with said member interposed be- 

